Electrically-propelled invalid-chair.



C. P. ELIESON. ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED INVALID CHAIR.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1916. 1,189,195. Patented June 27,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C. P. ELIESON.

ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED INVALID CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1916.

1,189,195. Patented June 27,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAIMS ONOVITZ PROSPER ELIESON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWOTI-IIRDS TO J'. AND A. CARTER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELEOTRICALLY-PROPELLED INVALID-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

T 0 all 4117mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnrsoxovrrz Pros- PER ELIESON, a subject of theKing of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Propelled InvalidChairs, of which the following is a specifi-' cation.

This invention relates to improvements in electrically propelled'invalidchairs or like light vehicles, and has particular reference to the meansfor supporting the electric motorand for transmitting the power from themotor to the front wheel axle so as to insure an efficient drive whilepermitting of oscillatory movement of the front axle for steeringpurposes.

The invention and the details thereof will I be more clearly understoodfrom the following description of one convenient .form employing, twofront steering and driving wheels.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of an invalid chair withthe motor attached. Fig. 1 is a plan of a steering bracket. Fig. 2 is aplan of part of the frame of the chair, part of the motor support, andmeans for fixing the motor supportto the frame of the chair. Fig. 3 isanelevation corresponding therewith. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation ofthe motor, its support, the front wheel axle casing and steering tube,the section being taken on the irregular line IV.IV. Fig. 1, parts ofthe motor support being broken away. Fig. l is a. plan of a detail. Fig.5 is a transverse section through the front axle and worm gear casingshowing the worm and worm gear.

The bath or invalid chair is of ordinary construction. Beneath the seatand in front of the rear axle there is provided a box a in which theaccumulators are placed. The cur: rent supply is led from theaccumulators to a switch 7) and thence by a conduit 0 to the motor inthe casing'd. As these details may be of any ordinary construction wellknown in the art and do not form parts of the present ,in\ ation nofurther description need be given. ,The motor casing 03 is suitablyventilated and th'e motor M is sup ported by and fixed to a support 6which has arms f by which it is fixed to the frame 9 of the chair, thearms 7' having clamping plates [L which rest on lugs g and are pulledonto the frame g .by bolts 9 A bolt it passes through an extension If onthe support 6, and through the frame 9, while a yoke z is secured by abolt 72, to the upper part of the motor support 0. The motor support 0is thus rigidly fixed t0 the frame of the chair at four points it, h, h,h The flange j on the motor support 0 has passing through it the boltsZ: which secure the motor to the support. It will .be seen that themotor is supported with its axis of rotation S1ll')St2lI1tl:1llyvertical.

The weight of the front part of the chair is transmitted through theframe 9, arms f, to 'a ball thrust bearing m located to act between themotor support 6 and a rotatable steering tube 12 (see Fig. 4:). The ballthrust bearing m is arranged in a recess in the support 6 and an outertube 0 on the tube 72 acts as a support thereto. The outer tube'o issuitably fixed to the inner tube n as bv a screw 0 and also forms adistance piece between the thrust bearing 7n and the (.ihlllfl' for thefront wheel axle. A

' gether by screws '10, Fig. 1, the holes 10 for which are shown in Fig.5'where one half of the casing is removed. The casing 77 contains thefront wheel axle 8. the worm wheel. w and the worm shaft 8. The wormshaft is -mounted in suitable ball bearings t t and ball thrust bearings20, 20, are provided. The steering tube 0 is slotted at 'v to allow theworm wheel w to pass.

Between the motor shaft .11 and the worm shaft 8 there is anintermediate driving shaft 6 which provides a flexible transmissionbetween these two parts so that they may run freely in spite of any lackof accu racy in alinement or of vibration. A conbracket- '1 clamped tothe outer tube 0 carries the steervenient and simple form for thisflexible drive is shown and consists of sockets y and 2 on the motorshaft a: and the worm shaft 8 respectively. These sockets have sideslots.

On the extremities of the intermediate length 6 there are provided ballends 7 carrying side projections or feathers 8 which work in the slotsin the sockets.

The lower part of the worm wheel casing forms an oil bath whicheffectively lubricates the driving parts. The worm wheel '1 is mountedloosely on the front wheel axle 8 and is held against axial movement inboth directions by a collar 9 and a split collar 10. The split collar 10has a flange 20 which engages in an external groove 21 in the hub of theworm wheel 10 and the halves are held in place by screws 11, which alsosecure the collar 9 to the axle 8. On the opposite side to the collars 9and 10 the hub of the worm wheel w is provided with clutch teeth 12 withwhich there engage corresponding teeth on a sliding clutch 1-3 keyed bya feather :23 to the axle 8. A sliding finger grip 14 incloses a plunger24 which is connected by a rod 25 to a loose ring 26 which is mounted onthe clutch 13. By raising the finger grip 14 against a spring 15 theneck 27 of the grip is pulled out of a hole 28 in the casing 79. Theclutch 13 can then be moved into engagement with the teeth 12. In thisposition the grip is released and the spring 15 returns the neck into asecond hole 29 in the casing. The two holes 28 and 29 interpenetratewith each other.

The front wheels 17 are fixed to the axle and ball bearings 16 areprovided to insure easy running.

It will be seen that the whole of the motor and motor support, togetherwith the steering tube and front axle may be detached from or attachedto the frame of the chair. It may thus be made and sold as a separateunit if desired.

I claim 1. For use on an invalid chair or like light vehicle, a motorsupport comprising a vertical tubular member having at its upper end amotor housing and adapted -to be fixed to the frame of the chair, anelectric motor secured in the motor housing, a front wheel axle belowand spaced from the motor housing, gearing for driving said axle, acasing for said axle and said gearing, said casing having a verticaltubular extension, means for rotatably mountin the tubular extension inthe lower end the tubular member of the motor support, and driving meansincludinga flexible shaft between the motor and said gearing.

2. For use on an invalid chair or like light vehicle. a. motor supportcomprising a vertical tubular member having at its 11 per end a motorhousing and adapted to be ffxcd to the frame of the chair, an electricmotor secured in the motor housing, a front wheel axle below and spacedfrom the motor housing. gearing for driving said axle, a casing for saidgearing and axle, said casing having a steering tube, means for rotatablmounting the steering tube in the. lower end of the vertical tubularmember of the motor support, a tube hstened on the inside of thesteering tube and extending through the tubular member of the motorsupport, driving means including a flexible shaft between said motor andsaid gearing, and means for rotating said steering tube for steeringpurposes,

3. For use on an invalid chair or like light vehicle, a motor supportadapted to be fixed to the frame of the chair,an electric motor on saidsupport, a front wheel axle, a worm wheel on said axle, means forsecuring said worm wheel to said axle, a worm shaft meshing with saidworm wheel, a'easing for said axle, worm shaft and worm wheel, asteering tube connected to said casing and pivotally mounted in saidmotor support, a driving shaft connecting saidmotor and said worm shaft,and means for moving said steering tube relatively to said motor support for steering purposes, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. For use on an invalid chair or likelight vehicle, a motor supportadapted to be fixed to the frame of the chair, an electric motor on saidsupport, a front wheel axle, a worm wheel freely mounted on said axle, aclutch for detachably securing said worm wheel to said axle, a wormshaft meshing with said worm wheel. a casing for said axle, worm shaftand worm wheel, a steering tube connected to said casing and pivotallymounted in said motor support, a driving shaft connecting said motor andsaid worm shaft, and means for moving said steering tube relatively tosaid motor support for steering purposes, substantially as hereinbeforeset forth.

5. For use on an invalid chair or like light vehicle, a motor supportadapted to be fixed to the frame of the chair, an electric motor on saidsupport, a front wheel axle, a worm wheel on said axle, a worm shaftmeshing with said worm wheel, a casing containing said axle, worm wheeland worm shaft, said casing having ball bearings for said axle and saidworm shaft, a steering tube fixed to said casing and pivotally mountedin said motor support, a ball thrust bearing carried by said steeringtube and su )porting said motor support, a flexible drlving connectionbetween the aforesaid electric motor and said worm shaft. and means forrotating said steering tube for steering purposes, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

(1. For use on an invalid chair or like light vehicle, a motor supporthaving lateral arms, clan'ips at the ends of the lateral arms forclamping said support to the frame of the chair, said support having avertical tubular member and a motor housing at the upper end thereof, anelectric motor supported in the housing. a gear casing, an axle andgearing in said casing, two front wheels on said axle, means forrotatably mounting said gear casing to the lower end of the tubularnameto this specification in the presence of member on the motorsupport, driving means two subscribing Witnesses.

including a flexible shaft between the electric motor and said gearing,and means for OHAIMSONOVITZ PROSPER L moving said gear casing relativelyto the mo- YVitnesses: tor support for steerlng purposes. J A. W.MATHYs,

In testlmony whereof I have slgned my H. MATHYS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fun: cents each, by addressingthe "commissioner of lsteltl, Wssl dhgton, D. 0."

